The Competition on Strategic Interests in Southeast Asia between United States and China

• Main Authors: Yung-Sheng Lin, 林永盛
• Other Authors: Pei-Hsiu Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/16106279325990654578

碩士 === 國立暨南國際大學 === 東南亞研究所 === 98 === Southeast Asia is probably not only an area that has the world’s most complicated problems, but also one of the locations that is greatly involved with interests. From a military perspective, Southeast Asia is geographically important because this area has abundant natural resources, and moreover, its location is strategically vital because of the controlling the Strict of Malacca.During the Cold War Era, in this area there were two superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union, competing and against each other. Following the end of the Cold War, there was a “power vacuum” situation in the area due to the collapse of the system of bipolar confrontation, which has led to a competition among powerful countries of the surrounding areas, including China, Japan, India, etc. These countries have competed for the power; they are in an attempt to fill up the vacuumed condition for power, and to become the new superpower in that area.Among these countries, China is the most likely one to rise up. By taking the advantage of the growing economic strength, China is making an attempt to challenge the hegemonic status of the United States in Southeast Asia. Therefore, the end of the Cold War can be seen as the beginning of power exchange between China and the United States in Southeast Asia. From China’s attempt in creating a peaceful and secured surrounding environment, and also its various activities such as the foreign policy of “Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation”, it is not difficult at all to tell China’s determination for getting involved in the affairs of Southeast Asia. Asides from reinforcing the national interest with Southeast Asia countries, and striving for cooperation with them, China has to give consideration to a possible conflict of strategic interest in the future between the United States and itself. In such a case, preventive actions have to be prepared in advance. The big Asia-Pacific strategy of the United States has a significant impact on the Southeast Asia strategy of China. Similarly, China’s Southeast Asia strategy in responding to United States is also going to influence the strategy development of the United States. It can be foreseen that for the security of Southeast Asian in the 21st Century, China’s policy direction as well as American’s political attitude are going to be the greatest variables for the security of Southeast Asia. For the United States, Southeast Asia of course has its geo-political advantage. Americans have stated their determination for returning to Southeast Asia by signing the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. As a consequence, whether it is based on a power-balance in the area of Southeast Asia, or is for the advantage of territory security of the United States and the direction of its future policy, maintaining an advanced guard and deployment around the pacific-rim area is the key strategy. The purpose is to secure the national interest of the United States; on the other hand, it is easy to tell from the strategic deployment that the target is for the new containment of the United States.At the same time, it has also been confirmed that the strategic purpose is to reinforce the leadership in the Asia-Pacific area. This action of “re-entry into Southeast Asia”, however, will make the political situation of the area more perplexed and complicated. Between China and the United States, their competing for the dominance of the area will become more white-hot.